Dozens of Nigerians kidnapped from three churches in Kaduna state's Kurmin Wali village have escaped. Police confirmed that 80 of the 177 worshippers taken last month managed to flee the same day they were kidnapped. They stayed hidden in nearby villages for two weeks "due to fear of being captured again," said state police spokesman Mansur Hassan to the BBC. The kidnappings remain a serious issue in Nigeria, with 86 people still held hostage. Authorities are working to free them. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Initially, police denied the raid before confirming the abduction on January 21, after local reports and 11 people escaped soon after the incident. Amnesty International criticized the government for "desperate denial" and urged action to stop frequent kidnappings becoming normal. This attack is part of a series of kidnappings across Nigeria. In November, over 300 students and teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in nearby Niger state but later released in two groups. Nigeria faces many security challenges including an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, separatist violence in the south-east, and herder-farmer clashes. Corruption, poor intelligence, and underfunded police make tackling these problems difficult. The US recently carried out airstrikes targeting Islamist militants in north-west Nigeria and warned of more strikes if attacks on Christians continue. Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, divided roughly between a mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south. The government says people of all faiths have suffered in the violence. For more updates, visit BBCAfrica.com and follow @BBCAfrica on social media.